An energetic rebound of international proportion

Despite a slight contraction during the first quarter of this year, the American economy has been expanding slowly but steadily since the end of the "Great Recession" of 2008-2010, the most severe economic downturn since the 1930s. Though the $800 billion stimulus package enacted by Congress in 2009 no doubt aided the economic recovery, America's newfound abundance of energy — especially oil and natural gas — has also played a key role.

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